Printing: Whatever, whenever

We beg them. We yell at them. We plead with them. We push "control P" over and over again in the hope of forcing them to work, only to find we're the one who clogged up the queue in the first place.

Printers: devices that ultimately still hold all the power in the office. With the ability to make or break deadlines and budgets, printers still form the fastest growing sector of the IT industry.

As manufacturers realise the huge potential and sway they continue to hold in the market, they continuously update their product ranges - now on an almost quarterly basis.

With the market becoming this competitive, printer manufacturers have to look beyond merely the efficient and cost-effective to include their range of accompanying consumables. Zelda Emmerick, Lexmark product manager, Axiz, believes the increased competition within the industry is a very positive thing - both for consumers and developers.

"Choice is vital in an industry like ours. Not only do consumers now have access to printers that are better-suited to their specific needs, but manufacturers are inspired to make products that are more user-friendly and innovative."

Emmerick explains that the printing market is especially exciting at the moment, especially as features of what were previously 'business' printers become a standard part of the printing package available to home users. "With more people working from home and at home, the lines of 'office' needs and 'home' needs have become increasingly blurred," says Emmerick. "Manufacturers and developers are being forced to respond accordingly and appropriately."

The Lexmark X9350 is such a response. With integrated wireless and Ethernet connections, efficient double-sided printing, a 50-page automatic document feeder, card slots, USB key and PictBridge port, as well as a large, full-colour LCD screen, this is Lexmark's perfect partner for active, on the go SOHO users looking for more reliability and flexibility.

Emmerick explains that three trends have recently emerged in the SOHO market: "Users are looking for printers that offer them big business advantages, boost productivity and have the latest ink-technology. It's no longer sufficient to merely offer them a printer that scans and faxes as well - manufacturers have to look at supplying a complete printing package."

With the payoff line "we make printing easy", Lexmark is taking the "complete printing challenge" very seriously, focusing consumers not only on the printer itself, but also on the consumables that go with them. The Lexmark Productivity Suite software that comes standard on the X9350, for example, enables customers to save time when printing, while its latest ink technology means quick-drying, water-resistant prints.

"Customers often forget that printing is not a finite cost, but an ongoing expense. For them to manage this expense, it is crucial they invest in a printer that not only meets their traditional printing needs, but serves them cost-effectively going forward," says Emmerick. This is where "yield" configurations come in - something she foresees playing a greater role in printer development going forward, as customers become more cost aware, "One of the questions that is now becoming standard when buying a printer is that of cost-per-page. When coupled with print speed, this can become a formidable feature of any printer."

With more to choose from in the world of printers and consumables, consumers can look forward to a world of product innovation in the months and years to come. Who knows - there might eventually be a printer that responds to the begging, yelling and pleading that has become a standard feature of most print proceedings.